Car axle journal lubricator



May 22, 1962 K. A. KLINGLER 3,035,877

CAR AXLE JOURNAL LUBRICATOR Filed July 3, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 K. A.KLINGLER CAR AXLE JOURNAL LUBRICATOR May 22, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJuly .3, 1959 w m/f Wi W5 @m W//fm Z kan United States atent Gtice3,035,877 Patented May 22, 1962 3,035,877 CAR AXLE JCURNAL LUBRICATORKarl A. Klingler, 111 S. Wright, Naperville, Ill. Filed July 3, 1959,Ser. No. 824,864 15 Claims. (Cl. 308-91) My invention relates toimprovements in railroad car journal lubricators and has for one objectto provide a light, flexible reliable railroad car axle journallubricator which will pick up free oil from an oil reservoir in thebottom of the journal box and discharge it against the journal so thatthe journal may be lubricated by free oil without the need of waste,packing or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a journal lubricator whichmay be installed without any change or modification of the journal box.

Another object is to provide a lubricator which may be installed byunskilled labor whereby all the operator has to do is to hook thelubricator in.

Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specificationand claims.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings, wherein- FIGURE l is a side elevation of a partof the journal showing the lubricator -in place in elevation and partsection;

FGURE 2 is a section through the journal showing the lubricator in placethereon;

FIGURE 3 is a detail section of a part of the journal `showing thelubricator with parts in elevation and parts in section and partsomitted;

FIGURE 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of FIG- URE 3 with thelubricator wheels in place;

lFIGURE 5 is a plan View of a part 0f FIGURE 3.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specificationand drawings.

The railroad car journal l1 is :hanged at its end at 2 and is adapted tobe associated with the usual bearing brass and wedge in a journal box,the details of which form no part of this invention, are conventionaland in the interest of simplicity and clarity are not here illustrated.

The stirrups or wire loops 3 may be supported in any desired manner tohang down on both sides of the journal and support the lubricator whichis the subject of the present invention. The lubricator includes thefriction wheels 4- and 5 so mounted on inclined stub shafts 6 and 7 thatthey contact each other below the journal and each wheel separatelycontacts and is frictionally driven by the journal.

Segmental -arcuate guide yokes 8 and 9 concentric with the journal haveat their lower ends parallel, opposed, generally radial extensions 10and 11, apertured to receive `the ends of the r'ixed tie pin 12, tubularin the interest of reducing weight. The extensions 10 and I1l. areinwardly flanged to support the sleeve 13 which in turn carries theelastomeric sleeve 114. Encircling the Y sleeve 14 are the concentricsleeves 15 and `16. Each sleeve at its inner end terminates in wedgeshaped blocks 17 and 1S, their extensions being in opposition to eachother on opposite sides of the vertical plane of the axis of the pin 12and so dimensioned as shown in FIG- URE 4 as to permit relative limitedangular movement toward and from each other. The rubber sleeve 14 ispermanently attached to the sleeve 13 and is in frictional engagementwith the sleeves 15 and 16. This permits the limited movement betweenthe two sleeves necessary for angular displacement of the support blocks1'7 and 1S during assembly. The rubber sleeve serves as a cushion todampen ou-t chatter and vibration and to prevent wear and distortion ofthe par-ts. The support blocks y17 and 18 carry the stub shafts 6 and 7.

The guide yokes 8' and 9 guide and position tension springs 19 and 20which are anchored at their lower ends on the extensions 10 and 11 andare hooked at their upper ends on the stirrups 3, the yokes holding thesprings out of contact with the journal. Extending laterally in opposite`directions from the guide yokes 8 and `9 are guide pads 21 and 22parallel with the journal axis to hold the lubricator in generalalignment and contact with thejournal.

The friction wheels 4 and 5 each carries a soft flexible generallyconical corrugated elastomeric lubricant distributing cup 23. The cupsare corrugated for exibility as they come into and out of contact withthe journal and for added eihciency in throwing the oil from thereservoir in the box. `On their upper peripheries these cups engage thejournal along an extended length thereof thereby economically conveyingthe oil to the journal, the oil being brought up from the oil reservoirbecause as they dip into the oil reservoir on their lower peripheriesthey extend down substantially below the oil level.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows:

The lubricator is -hung below the journal on the two stirrups supportedin any vdesired manner on opposite sides of the journal. The two springsbeing under tension and being held out of contact with the journal bythe guides urge the two friction wheels into contact with the undersideof the journal and tend to rotate their intersecting axes in suchdirection as to bring the two friction wheels into contact with oneanother and with the journal. Thus there is a friction driving contactbetween each wheel and the journal and a friction driving contactbetween the two wheels so that the two wheels rotate in unison giving aldouble torque elfect. FIGURE 4 shows how support blocks 17, 18 mayrotate to permit relative angular movement of the axes of the two Wheelsdriving assembly the support blocks limiting such angular movement inopposite directions.

As the journal rotates driving the two friction wheels, the lubricatorcups `spin at relatively high speed, picking up the oil from the well orreservoir, throw some of it outwardly diagonally, against the axlespraying the oil generally throughout the box though some of the oil isconveyed mechanically to and smeared upon the surface of the journal.This gives a wide distribution of the lubricant. The frictionalresistance to the movement of the lubricator is negligible and thelubricator can be put in place without any change, any modification ofor addition to the journal box. The stirrups may be supported in any`desired manner, the support forming no part of the present invention isnot illustrated but is illustrated in my co-pending application.

The guide pads which project laterally from the guide yokes are in lightfrictional contact with the journal and tend to maintain the lubricatorsupport in proper alignment with the journal -because they maintainparallelism with the journal axis, to prevent any contact of the wheelswith the box wall thus safeguarding the wheels against damage.

This friction arrangement, in cooperation with the tension of thesprings damps out tangential movement and maintains the lubricatorwheels in permanent contact with the underside of the journal 4andmaintains their axes generally in the vertical plane which includes thejournal axis.

The diagonally axised arrangement of the two friction drive members 4and 5 is such that the power applied to each of those two members orwheels where they contact the journal is transmitted in terms of torqueat the other end of the -diameter so that we get greatly increaseddouble torque to insure the rotation of both of the wheels.

'This diagonal arrangement of the two wheels with the flexible oildistributing cup is effective because where the oil distributing cupcontacts the journal it extends hon'- zontally away from the drive wheeland has a wide area in contact with the journal but where it extendsdownwardly into the oil well it has a wide vertical insertion. Thus theflexible cup extends far below the drive wheel but is so flexible thateven if the journal box should come in contact with the flexible cup asit normally never does the cup would not be damaged.

The diagonal disposition of the axes of the two friction wheels and ofthe lubricating cup results in throwing the oil all over the axle at thesame time lubricating the axle and cooling it in sharp contrast with thesituation where oil is merely smeared on the journal at the point ofcontact between the journal and the lubricator.

I claim:

l. A lubricator for railroad car axle journals comprising two frictionwheels mounted for rotation about inclined intersecting axes, means forsupporting them below a car axle journal and biasing them upwardlyagainst the journal for separate frictional Contact therewith and witheach other, the wheel supporting means comprising a pivot pin in a planeperpendicular to the axis of rotation of the journal, separate,concentric, aligned sleeves encircling and free to rotate through alimited angle about the pin and carrying at their ends opposedoverlapping support blocks, bearing pins carried by the blocks on whichthe wheels `are mounted.

2. A lubn'cator for railroad car axle journals comprising two frictionwheels mounted for rotation about inclined intersecting axes, means forsupporting them below a car axle journal and biasing them upwardlyagainst the journal for separate frictional contact therewith and witheach other, the wheel supporting means comprising a p ivot pin in aplane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the journal, separate,concentric, aligned sleeves encircling and free to rotate through alimited `angle about the pin and carrying at their ends opposedoverlapping support blocks, bearing pins carried by the blocks on whichthe wheels are mounted, an elastomeric sleeve interposed between the pinand the aligned sleeves and adhering thereto.

3. A lubricator for railroad car axle journals comprising two frictionwheels mounted for rotation about inclined intersecting axes, means forsupporting them below a car axle journal and biasing them upwardlyagainst the journal for separate frictional contact therewith and witheach other, the wheel supporting means comprising a pivot pin in a planeperpendicular to the axis of rotation of the journal, separate,concentric, aligned sleeves encircling and free to rotate through alimited angle about the pin and carrying at their ends opposedoverlapping support blocks, bearing pins carried by the blocks on whichthe wheels are mounted, the wheels being mounted for rotation on axeslocated in the vertical plane of the axis of rotation of the journal.

4. A lubricator for railroad ear axle journals comprising two frictionwheels mounted for rotation about inclined intersecting axes, means forsupporting them below a car axle journal and biasing them upwardlyagainst the journal for separate frictional contact therewith and witheach other, the wheel supporting means comprising a pivot pin in a planeperpendicular to the axis of rotation of the journal, separate,concentric, aligned sleeves encircling and free to rotate through alimited angle about the pin and carrying at their ends opposedoverlapping support blocks, bearing pins carried by the blocks on whichthe wheels are mounted, an elastomeric sleeve interposed between the pinand the aligned sleeves and adhering thereto, the wheels being mountedfor rotation on axes located in the vertical plane of the axis ofrotation of the journal.

5. A railroad car axle journal lubricator including a yoke structureadapted to encircle the lower portion of a railroad car axle journalincluding larcuate guide members, `adapted to extend upwardly aroundopposite sides of the lower portion of such a journal, a connectionbetween the -arcuate members below such a journal, lubricant wheelsmounted on such connection for rotation in contact with one another aridwith such a journal `at their peripheries, holding spn'ngs extendingupwardly along the arcuate guide members `adapted to bias the wheelsagainst such a journal.

6. A railroad car axle journal lubricator including a yoke structureadapted to encircle the lower portion of a railroad car axle journalincluding `arcuate guide members, adapted to extend upwardly aroundopposite sides of the lower portion of such a journal, a connectionbetween the arcuate members below such a journal, lubricant wheelsmounted on such connection for rotation in contact with one another andwith such a journal at their peripheries, holding springs extendingupwardly along the arcuate guide members adapted to bias the wheelsagainst such a journal.

7. A railroad car axle journal lubricator including a yoke structureadapted to encircle the lower portion of a railroad car axle journalincluding arcuate guide members, adapted to extend upwardly aroundopposite sides of the lower portion of such a journal, a connectionbetween the arcuate members below such a journal, lubricant wheelsmounted on such connection for rotation in contact with one another yandwith such a journal at their pen'pheries, holding springs extendingupwardly along the arcuate guide members adapted to bias the wheelsagainst such a journal, the arcuate guide members being interposedbetween the springs and such a journal.

8. A railroad car axle journal lubricator including a yoke structureadapted to encircle the lower por-tion of a railroad car axle journalincluding arcuate guide members, adapted to extend upwardly aroundopposite sides of the lower portion of such a journal, a connectionbetween the arcuate members below such journal, lubricant wheels mountedon such connection for rotation in contact with one yanother and withsuch -a journal at their peripheries, holding springs extending upwardlyialong the arcuate guide members adapted to bias the wheels l.againstsuch a journal, the arcuate guide members being interposed between thesprings `and such a journal, positioning pads extending laterally fromthe guide members for contact with such a journal, the pads beingparallel with such a journal axis.

9. A railroad car axle journal lubricator, a central -tie pin, a pair ofsleeves mounted for rotation thereon, overlapping supporting blocksextending from `and occupying less than half the circumference of eachsleeve, a stub shaft projecting 4radially from each block, lubricantwheels rotatably mounted on such shafts and means for biasing the pintoward a railroad car axle journal to cause frictional contact of thewheels with one `another `yand with the journal.

li). A railroad car axle journal lubricator, a central tie pin, a pairof sleeves mounted for rotation thereon, overlapping supporting blocksextending from yand occupying less than half the circumference ofeachsleeve, a `stub shaft projecting radially from each block, lubricantwheels rotatably mounted on such shafts and means for bias-ing the pintoward a railroad car axle journal to cause frictional contact of thewheels with one another and with the journal, an elastomeric sleeveinterposed between the sleeves and the pin, adhering thereto to flexiblyresist while permitting relatively yangular movement of the sleeves.

ll. A railroad car axle journal lubricator, a central tie pin, a pair ofsleeves mounted for rotation thereon, overlapping supporting blocksextending from and occupying less than half the circumference of eachsleeve, a stub shaft projecting radially from each block, lubricantwheels rotatably mounted on such shafts and means for biasing the pintoward =a railroad car axle journal to cause frictional contact of thewheels with one another 5 and with the journal, an elastomeric sleeveinterposed between the sleeves and the pin, adhering to one to flexiblyresist while permitting relatively angular movement of the sleeves, theblocks by contact with one another positively limiting angulardisplacement of the sleeves.

l2. A lubricator for rdroad car axles and the like including ahorizontal shaft, yielding means for biasing it upwardly, separatealigned sleeves mounted for roltation on the shaft, `a bearing pincarried by each sleeve, downwardly and outwardly inclined from thesleeve in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, frictionwheels one on each pin, in contact with one another adjacent their lowerperipheries.

13. A lubricator for railroad car axle journals cornprising two frictionwheels mounted for rotation about inclined intersecting axes, means forsupporting them below a car axle journal and biasing them upwardlyagainst the journal for separate frictional contact therewith and witheach other, the wheel supporting means comprising a pivot pin in a planeperpendicular to Ithe axis of rotation of the journal, separate,concentric, aligned sleeves encircling and tree to rotate through -alimited angle about the pivot pin, bearing pins extending downwardly andoutwardly one from each sleeve, one Wheel being mounted on each bearingpin.

14. A lubricator for railroad car axle journals comprising two frictionwheels mounted for rotation about inclined intersecting axes, means forsupporting them below a car axle journal and biasing them upwardlyaga-inst the journal for separate frictional contact therewith and witheach other, the wheel supporting means comprising a pivot pin in yaplane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the journal, separate,concentric, yaligned sleeves encircling :and free to rotate through alimited angle about the pivot pin, bearing pins extending downwardly andoutwardly one from each sleeve, one wheel being mounted on each bearingpin, an elastomeric sleeve interposed between the pivot pin and thealigned sleeves.

15. A lubricator for railroad car axle journals comprising two frictionwheels mounted for rotation about inclined intersecting axes, means forsupporting .them be low a car axle journal and biasing them upwardly.against the journal for separate frictional contact therewith and witheach other, `the wheel supporting means comprising a pivot pin in aplane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the journal, separate,concentric, aligned sleeves encircling and free to rotate through alimited angle about the pivot pin, bearing pins extending downwardly andoutwardly one from each sleeve, one wheel being mounted on each bearingpin, the wheels being mounted for rotation on axes located in thevertical plane of the 1axis of rotation of the journal.

References Qited in the le of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 403,876Daniels et a1 May 21, 1889 537,848 Patten Apr. 23, 1895 559,787 PattenMay 5, 1896 586,272 Patten Juiy 13, 1897 2,758,894 Klinger Aug. 14, 1956

